6-8th Grade STEM

We've begun the 2015-16 school year by implementing a new elective entitled Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) class.  Our 6-8th grade students have the opportunity to participate in two trimesters of STEM class, which is connected to our new, collaborative learning space. We have adopted our STEM program from Creative Learning Systems (CLS). CLS has provided our school with software and hardware to make the learning of our students more hands-on and practical for the real-world setting. In our STEM Lab environment, the students work collaboratively and concentrate on the following:

• Problem-solving
• Reflection
• Presentation
• Collaboration
• Productivity 

Below are the engagement (or project) options our students have access to. Each pair of students work for a 10-day period to produce something and then, once the 10-day period is over, they begin a new project. 

To hold our students accountable for every engagement, each pair of students participates in daily reflections, conducts a specific, measurable, attainable, relevant & timely or SMART Goal, learns new vocabulary, relates engagement to a STEM career by using www.ionfuture.org and assessing themselves using our five components stated above. This is all done within Google Slides and is shared with the facilitator for monitoring and grading. See below for an example outline of the presentation. 

Lastly, enjoy some images of my students hard at work during their first two weeks of STEM class.

Creating New 21st Century Learning Spaces

This past summer, my school went under a major construction project. A portion of that project was combining our old computer lab and library into one, collaborative learning space entitled the ICE Lab (the Innovative, Collaborative & Exploration Lab). This idea of creating one collaborative learning space is a fairly new idea in the 21st-century learning environment. Since our school has gone completely mobile (meaning our students use either iPads or MacBook Air's), there is truly no need for a computer lab anymore. Our school then decided to combine the computer lab with the library to create one, large, cooperative learning space where students can gather together to work on projects in a whole group, small group or individual setting. We made sure that we included all mobile furniture, including the bookcases so that students can easily use the space to its fullest potential. Speaking of furniture, a lot of time was taken to decide on particular furniture that was inviting and comfortable for both the students and the teachers to come in and utilize it in an exciting way. We also incorporated a connecting science, technology, engineering & mathematics (STEM) Lab where students are able to problem solve, reflect, collaborate, produce and present. Below are some good resources about new learning spaces along with a video that I created about my school's transition.  Enjoy!

Resources:

• http://www.p21.org/news-events/p21blog/1551-pearlman-transforming-classrooms-and-schools-for-schools-for-21st-century-learners-by-design
• http://www.edutopia.org/blog/tips-to-transform-learning-space-beth-holland
• http://www.edutopia.org/blog/creating-wow-worthy-learning-spaces-todd-finley
• Twitter: #iceilchat (look at the hashtag representing new learning spaces)

Blogging for Reflection

This past summer while participating in one of my grad school classes, I decided to read the book, Blogging for Educators: Writing for Professional Learning by: Starr Sackstein.  This was by far the BEST summer read!  The Corwin Connected Educator Series are a series of short reads that truly gets the point across and then, in turn is easy to implement inside the classroom or professionally right away.  This is what I did after reading @mssackstein book.  I now understand how important it is to blog as an educator to use as a form of reflective practice.  Sackstein (2015) states that by opening your thoughts, challenges, growth, reflection, or celebrations up to an audience, you add a collaborative element that can really change who you are as an educator and a person. (p.5) Blogging for educators can be a collaborative practice where it allows one to develop their Personal Learning Network or PLN.  I'm already an avid user of Twitter and Instagram, but blogging is a great way to share your expertise, strengths, weaknesses and showcase what's happening inside the classroom.  I am hoping that my blog will allow to share my thoughts and successes as a K-8 technology and STEM educator and present what my students are doing with technology.  To learn more about Starr Sackstein's book, visit http://www.corwin.com/connectededucators/bloged-book.htm.